TEHRAN – The latest report released by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) indicates that the organization believes Iranian wheat output is going to decrease by 2 million tons to stand at 12 million tons in 2017. The organization also forecasted the world’s total wheat output to fall 1.8 percent to 744 million tons in 2017.

Based on the released data, Iran's total grain production in 2016 witnessed a 12 percent rise compared to the preceding year and stood at 20.3 million tons.

From the total grain output, 13.5 million tons was reported to be wheat, 2.9 million tons rice and 3.9 million tons belonged to other grains. The country’s rice output also increased by 200,000 tons in 2016.

The report also indicates a downward trend in the country’s grain stocks in 2016 and 2017. The figure fell from 6.6 million tons in 2015 to 6.4 million tons in 2016; this trend continues into 2017 to pull down the level to 5.9 million tons in 2017, FAO forecasts.

EF/MA